1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to metal working and more particularly to metal working with a multiple spindle machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multiple spindle machines have been known to the prior art for a great number of years. In general, multiple spindle machines comprise a plurality of spindles rotatably mounting a plurality of workpieces surrounding a spindle drive shaft. A tool holder located in a tooling area adjacent the spindles provides a mounting for various tools to simultaneously operate on the workpieces. A front gearbox wall and a rear gearbox wall define a gearbox area therebetween and adjacent the tooling area. The area beyond the rear gearbox wall defines a spindle drive area. When a tool attachment required a drive in the prior art, the spindle drive shaft in the spindle drive area was adapted to receive a drive gear to power a shaft extending from the rear to the front gearbox wall. These shafts were adapted to power a particular type of tool, for example, high-speed drilling, threading, milling or the like. One disadvantage of this prior art drive was that the drive was difficult to achieve in the lower positions of the spindles, i.e., position 1 and position 6 in a six spindle machine, since corresponding mounting holes did not appear in the rear gearbox wall, and a special sleeve with two sets of bearings had to be fitted and assembled part by part in only the front gearbox wall. This was also true for other drives in still other positions, they also required special sleeves. The absence of lower holes in the rear gearbox wall was due to the fact that this space was required for cams to reciprocate the tool holders and tool slides in the tool area. Consequently, external drives such as air motors were often used for the lower positions. A further disadvantage of the prior art was that the assembly of the attachment drive shaft between the front and rear gearbox wall was a significant undertaking. The shaft had to be pushed through the rear gearbox wall into the gearbox area and the particular gears required had to be mounted thereon before the end of the shaft was pushed through the front gearbox wall. Incorporating several bearings within the structure made the typical set-up time for a tool attachment drive shaft a 6 to 8 hour undertaking for a man skilled on such a machine.
Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an attachment drive for a multiple spindle machine which is universal for all tool drives.
Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment drive for a multiple spindle machine wherein preassembled cartridges, both front and rear, are easily installed or removed in the machine at set-up time, and the cartridges do not need to be disassembled for removal from the machine.
Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment drive for a multiple spindle machine which can transfer power between adjacent or remote tool-drive locations.
Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment drive for a multiple spindle machine wherein the tool drive shaft may be assembled and installed in a rapid time.